Another application submitted for holiday chalets at Hambridge Lake between Newbury and Thatcham

Another application has been submitted for holiday chalets at Hambridge Lake.

This time for five two-bed chalets to the western bank of the lake.

The site is on the junction of Hambridge Road and the A4.

Currently the site is used as a fishing lake.

The proposal is to maintain the existing use.

The five chalets would come with a clubhouse with access from Hambridge Road, parking, footpaths, fishing stations, bin and cycle stores and landscaping.

Each of the chalets would be four metres high with 75.3 square metres in floor area and will contain a kitchen/lounge with two bedrooms and two bathrooms.

They would all have decking overlooking the lake.

The clubhouse would be of similar dimension.

In November 2019, an application for 41 chalets on the same site was submitted to West Berkshire Council and was refused in March 2020.

Thatcham Town Council also objected to the scheme.

The plans went to appeal but were dismissed in November 2021.

And a fresh application for nine three-bed chalets on this site was refused last June.

The district council refused on the grounds of impact on landscape, character and biodiversity.

The council also said the development fell in a historic strategic gap between Newbury and Thatcham.

Now, the applicant is back with a scaled down plan

In the past the applicants intentions have been called into question with councillors suggesting it may be a Trojan horse for housing.

But the purpose of the plans remain to be recreational holiday leisure only in the application.

The application can be viewed by searching 24/00042/FULMAJ into West Berkshire Council’s online planning portal.

The determination deadline is April 3.